2011 Ford F-150 - First Drives

Game changers can be tough to spot, but in the 2011 Ford F-150 a pivotal technology in pickup truck history is easy to identify: the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine.

Designed to continue the F-150's run as America's best-selling pickup well past its current 33-year run, the EcoBoost V-6 is a quantum leap in combining power and fuel economy. It's a must-have for Ford in the face of ever-tightening federal fuel economy requirements, and it will soon be a must-have for hundreds of thousands of F-150 buyers.

Rated at 365 bhp at 5000 rpm and 420 lb.-ft. of torque at 2500 rpm in F-150 trim while burning 87 octane fuel, the 3.5 EcoBoost V-6 has the instant snort to spin the tires at the drop of the throttle, outrun V-8s and tows up to 11,300 lb. of trailer, yet it delivers better than compact pickup truck fuel economy in the mid-20 mpg range. We easily achieved 25 mpg in a casual fuel economy test during Ford's press event, not even bothering to turn off the air conditioning. That's an unprecedented combination of power and economy.

Backing up the 3.5 EcoBoost in Ford's quest to put six cylinders in half of all 2011 F-150 sales is the entry-level 3.7-liter V-6. A smooth operator with 4-cam variable cam timing, the base six whirrs out an adequate 278 lb.-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm and breaks the 300 hp mark with 302 bhp at 6500 rpm. It's a smart choice for runabout duty, yet can still tow 5500 to 6100 lb. depending on rear axle gearing.

Of course there's something for V-8 lovers in Ford's all-new F-150 powertrain lineup. The all-alloy dohc 4-valve 5.0-liter V-8 just introduced in the Mustang is now the big-volume F-150 V-8. Wearing revised intake camshafts and cast-iron exhaust manifolds, the 5.0 delivers 360 bhp at 5500 rpm and 380 lb.-ft. of torque at 4250 rpm. For an even larger traditional V-8 experience, Ford is offering the 6.2-liter sohc 2-valve V-8 in a handful of up-market F-150 models. It busts out 411 bhp at 5500 rpm and 434 lb.-ft. of torque at 4500 rpm.

All engines are backed by a 6-speed automatic. There is no manual transmission although Ford's SelectShift allows full manual control plus the ability to block any combination of gears while allowing automatic shifting among the remaining ratios.

Handling is improved with standard electrically assisted rack-and-pinion power steering. It is easily adjusted by Ford to deliver variable assist from parking lot to highway; it's also tuned noticeably by model. The V-6 trucks offer refreshingly light steering while the Harley Davidson and other 6.2-liter V-8 trucks take more manly efforts.

Interior improvements and model introductions round out the 2011 F-150 changes. A new instrument cluster with an enlarged information center delivers trip information and logs trailer mileage among other duties; Ford's well-regarded Sync and Work Solutions applications are also available. Other detail improvements are an integrated key and fob, remote starting, a 110-volt outlet at the rear of the center console (faces the rear seats), optional telescoping steering column and HD radio. Off-road packages now include skid plates, better shock absorbers, a locking differential and the availability of 7-lug wheels.

All existing F-150 models return, plus new Lariat Limited and an XLT Custom models make their debut. Pricing starts at $22,415 for a standard cab 3.7-liter 4x2 and rises $1000 for the 5.0-liter V-8, another $750 for the EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6 and about that again for the 6.2-liter V-8. A heart-of-the-market 4-door 4x2 XLT with EcoBoost should tariff around $35,000; a Harley Davidson 4x4 4-door brings $51,140.

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